Got some great use from this BUT what I wanted to add was that it had lost the scew in hook at the bottom of the column and has lost one foot cover i.e. if you get this tripod be sure to regularily retighten the feet and the scrw in hook as they work loose on their own and - poof - dissapear!

Oct 2, 2007

I SimoniusOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Apr 22, 2005Location: United KingdomPosts: 51

Review Date: Aug 10, 2006

Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated

Pros:

OK finally got the Gitzo 1257.
Was able to carry it all day with no problem

Cons:

Not self levelling. Stiff to start

This review is for the Gitzo 1257 CF 6x tripod. (There is no dedicated section for it.)

First impressions: Smells of plastic when you extend legs. Very stiff. Feet caps loose (tighten before you go out or you migt lose them)

When I first got it I wasn't sure about the wheight. So took it out walkies the other day - carried it either over my shoulder or by one leg ( an adavantage of it being so stiff - the legs don't open if you cary it by one of them) and I didnt get tired and it didn't make any muscles ache after 4 hours of using and carrying it. VERY impressed by that.

However I wasn't carrying it long at any one stint as I kept stopping to set it up. Nonetheless it is great for someone with a back like mine -round shouldered and wrecked by a couple of not too serious car crashes, a climbing fall, too much stretching (Yoga +Martial arts) and RSI from spending days at a time for years at a computer, oh .. and age creeping up (54yrs) :-)

I found that the leg angle adjusters (or whatever they're called) needed to be pulled all the way out most of the time otherwise its difficult to get the tripod even close to level on rough terrain, without adjusting each one everytime

Good and stable. The legs are thick enough to provide very good stability and I expect would do so even in a stiff breeze with a wheight added to the purpose built hook that is on the end of the centre column. Center column is also thick enough and short enough to be sturdy and usable.

Height:I am 6' tall - I found that with the RRS-BH-40 attached, the camera VF came nicely to my natural eye height for viewing landscapes. With the centre column raised fully, the camera VF comes to the same height as when I'm on tip-toe. i.e. I can't get my eye higher than the camera VF when everythings fully extended. If you were standing on a box you could use it as a monopod and get an extra 8 inches approx of height.

This tripod fits my every purpose and need and I am very happy with it. BTW if you register your purchase online you get 5 years added to the current 2 year warrenty (no longer lifetime then!)

Aug 10, 2006

I SimoniusOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Apr 22, 2005Location: United KingdomPosts: 51

Review Date: Jun 27, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8

Pros:

I also have the Alu reporter GITZO and apart from the wheight love everything about it. love the three section height, love the leg locks - especially in cold weather where unlike the snap locks of my previous tripe which used to hurt my fingers badly on a frosty morning, the twist is painless and faster once you get the hang of it!

Cons:

I'd LOVE to post a full review of the 1257, [i.e. the 6x version of this tripod], but I have had it on order for over two months and still no sign of when it will show up- so delivery times has to be a negative!

Gotta be as good as the reporter Alu but much lighter! Got an RRS B40 ball head to go with it. My first ball head, and much easier to use than the gitzo pan and tilt I've been using to date!Exceptional piece of kit!

Jun 27, 2006

rpopeOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 31, 2003Location: United StatesPosts: 3599

Review Date: Mar 9, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $415.00

Pros:

Light weight, solid build and all around quality piece of gear

Cons:

None yet

I'm very impressed with this tripod, it looks and feels solid. I don't have a problem with the twist locks on the legs, they're quick and easy for me to operate.
I may invest in the Markins TB-20 Base Plate which should add a little more stability and make the Minimum Height practically ground level.

Well worth the money!

Mar 9, 2006

arnoloOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 7, 2005Location: United KingdomPosts: 43

Review Date: Jan 2, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8

Pros:

Light

Cons:

Could be more stable (See review)

Lighweight and can carry DSLR with 300 f/4. I was initially dissapointed by the vibrations introduced by the centre column (even at its lowest elevation). The ballhead screws on the column on a flimsy plastic base which I believe is the weak point in the mechanical chain linking your camera to the ground via this tripod.

Removing this column and replacing it with a Markins TB 20 base plate considerably improves the stability and reduces vibrations. ( http://www.markins.com/ ).

Having a good head is not enough, you use a good baseplate in order to get good results with a long lens.

I have had very good results with the Markins TB-20 baseplate and a Manfrotto BallHead ( 486 Compact) supporting a 300mm f/4. Stability and smoothness are improved a notch with a Markins Ballhead. ( and carrying capacity is greatly improved I guess but I didn't have a heavy lens/camera to test it).

Jan 2, 2006

Howard PassmanOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Mar 23, 2003Location: United StatesPosts: 656

Review Date: Nov 11, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $425.00
| Rating: 9

Pros:

Light and easy to set up

Cons:

need seperate column for macro work or for horizontal column

Works perfectly with a Acra Ball head and a Wimberley SideKick for the Nikon 300mm f/2.8. Lightened my load from 20lbs. to approx 10 lbs with the D100 and the 300mm f/2.8 AFS II. Much nicer to drag around.

I was worried because some folks gave it low marks on ease of set up due to the leg releases. I don't want to hurt anyones feelings, but if this is difficult you're almost hopeless.

Nov 11, 2005

Another StefanOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: May 3, 2005Location: NetherlandsPosts: 32

Review Date: Sep 7, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9

Pros:

See below, just great!

Cons:

Could be cheaper. Loose the centre collumn and get a Markins tb-20 base plate for improved stabillity.

Sep 7, 2005

JasonY01OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 3, 2004Location: United StatesPosts: 102

Review Date: May 27, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Light as heck, Great Student Purchase Program, Beautiful and great construction, did I mention light as heck and the weight VS. load ratio isnt half bad either. The legs go in smoothly with the gas back system and prevents damaging the legs.

Cons:

None other than the center collum could have a sturdier feeling, but thats just me all my friends that own it don't have a problem with it.

Because of this, Gitzo makes a large number of tripods. You can have it in CF or aluminium. In their CF series there are 5 different tripods, with a choice of 3 or 4 leg locks, geared or non-geared centre columns, etc. I picked which set of compromises I wanted, and chose the 1227. Yes its folded length is quite long, yes it is rather expensive, but I could hardly complain about these things since I knew full well what I was getting into before I bought it.

I will be buying a 0027 tripod as well because I "need" a compact tripod for hiking.

My old SLIK 800G didn't impart much confidence to me when it came to supporting my 1Ds. Any signifigant breeze caused it to do the Lambada dance. When the head
finally broke under the 1Ds' load, I needed a 3-leg tripod commensurate with the camera's quality. I bought the G1227 at reallyrightstuff.com and I'm very pleased with this product. It's a bit heavier than the old (CHEAP) SLIK, but I'd never go back now that I own this gem. I've mated it with an Arca-Swiss B1 and that combo IS "slick".

Aug 4, 2003

John MacLeanOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Jan 11, 2002Location: United StatesPosts: 391

Review Date: Mar 30, 2003

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $640.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

feather weight

Cons:

I paid $200 more a year ago!

I had the G1228, but sold it so I could have one less set of legs to lock down. Apparently the cost has dropped significantly, and now they come with a geared center column crank to add insult to injury!